Chicago police are investigating after a slew of violent armed robberies occurred overnight across several neighborhoods, including one in which a valet parking attendant at a hotel on Michigan Avenue said he was robbed and attacked.
In total, at least 12 pedestrians were robbed in nine incidents, police said. In each of the incidents, between three and six suspects, some of whom brandish a gun, flee the scene in a dark-colored sedan.
In some of the incidents, victims said they were attacked.
The first incident occurred at approximately 12:50 a.m., in the 1900 block of West Wolfram in West Lakeview. According to police, a man, 78, was walking outside when he was approached by six male suspects. The suspect demanded the victim's personal belongings and the victim complied, police said. The suspects then struck the man before fleeing the scene in a dark-colored sedan, police said.
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital in good condition, police said.
Ten minutes later, three more attacks took place blocks away, across Lakeview and Lincoln Park, according to police.
In those instances, which took place in the 4000 block of North Lincoln Avenue, the 2800 block of North Lincoln Avenue and the 700 block of West Belmont Avenue, between two and five suspects, some of whom were armed with handguns, approached victims ranging in age from 19 to 66, and demanded personal property. In two of the instances, victims were struck by the suspects before they fled.
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Three more similar armed robberies occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. police said, in the 300 block of West Webster, the 1600 block of West Wilson and the 3000 block of North Clark, police said. The victims in those incidents range in age from 25 to 36, with several victims reported being struck in the head by the suspects.
At approximately 1:52 a.m., in the 800 block of South Michigan Avenue in front of the Le Méridien Essex Hotel, a 42-year-old male valet parking attendant said he was walking outside when he was approached by four male suspects, two of which were armed with handguns. The suspects demanded the victim's property and struck the man before fleeing the scene in a dark-colored sedan, police said.
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Authorities have not commented on whether the robberies are connected. Detectives are investigating, police said.
